Macbook won't stay in sleep mode or powered off

Hi guys, I have a 2007 Macbook running OSX 10.6.3, which is displaying the following symptoms:

• Automatically re-awakens from sleep after 3-4 seconds (lid open or shut, running from battery or mains)
• Won't stay turned off for more than 3-4 seconds - automatically powers back up (unless mains cable removed, although battery is charged)
• USB ports not charging devices

I have tried the following cures, per advice from various articles, all to no effect:

• Reset the SMC
• Cleared print queues, deleted all printers from "Printers & Faxes"
• Deleted com.apple.PowerManagement.plist & com.apple.AutoWake.plist from harddrive/library/preferences/systemconfig.
• Rebooted & tested in safe mode
• Disconnected Wi-Fi & all external devices
• Unchecked "Wake for ethernet network access" in Energy Saver
• Repaired disk permissions

If anyone has anything further I can try before I take this somewhere for costly repairs, I'd be most grateful - thanks!

Simon

What all 3rd party software do you have installed in the machine .
You may have a virus that has written its own permissions or .plist
It sounds more like a software problem if the smc reset didn't fix it.

This is usually a problem when you have restart or wake upon a power failure selected.
If the smc is out of wack it can sense sleep or a power down as a failure and restart it self.
If your sure the smc reset took then I would look into a virus scanner or go through you 3rd party apps and start deleting them till you solve it.

You may have a virus that has written its own permissions or .plist
It sounds more like a software problem if the smc reset didn't fix it.

Click to expand...

There are no viruses in the wild that can infect a Mac so we know it isn't that...

Read our virus Sticky at the top of the Switcher forum.

Lol I consider malware to be a virus.

Lol I consider malware to be a virus.

Click to expand...

You can consider whatever you wish, but that does not make it true. Please do not tell our members they have a virus. If you think it's malware, then say so.

Cheers guys, I'll see if ClamXav uncovers anything and get back to you.....

OK I did a scan with ClamXav which uncovered some infected files, which I dealt with, still no change with the fault though. Any other ideas anyone?

If the smc reset did not resolve the issue , I suspect the I/O (magsafe) board could be at fault. Since you say the usb ports are not working to charge devices properly , the system is seeing this as a power failure .
Go to system preferences /power settings/ uncheck wake for Ethernet /uncheck automatic startup after power failure. See what that gets you. Also Do the smc reset again then repair disk permissions. since you did find some infected files , it is possible that the infected files modified some of the kexts in system/library/extentions. Running the repair disk permissions may take care of these.

OK, sorry for delayed reply, holiday season etc, have performed all those checks/fixes and still no change. Do you think its definitely busted?

Other possibility is a bad power button . It may have some crud in it or the piece that keeps it pushed out is broken. Investigate the power button and see if it clicks like it should. A power button is not that expensive and could easily be switched out. I would imagine though if this were the case it would not stay running.

SOLVED

Thanks dawson, I did already rule out the power button as an issue since the machine turns off OK (i.e. doesn't automatically switch back on).

Its interesting, I noticed in the schedule area of Energy Saver that the "Start up or wake" box was unchecked, and the previous time I'd entered in there was erased. When I rechecked the box, the laptop now sleeps. I'm not sure if the fact that it won't sleep without that box checked equals a fault of some kind - if so, its one I can live with.

The USB ports not charging turned out to be a red herring - turns out its just my phone - it charges from other computers but not my laptop, but on testing my laptop will charge other devices. Very strange